Gsxrnz

It's surprising that the contaminated batches actually got through Fonterra's QC system. NZ food safety standards are amongst the highest in the world and Fonterra's own internal regulations for collection and processing of raw milk are so stringent it's OTT. Even their requirements for 3rd party storage companies is verging on the ridiculous.

I sincerely hope that the contaminated product is satisfactorily traced and end products are withdrawn before anybody suffers illness or worse.

However - Fonterra is an overly powerful co-operative and also too big for their boots in the dairy servicing industry in NZ. I've got no real sympathy for Fonterra and this will bring a wry smile to many of those that are service providers to them.

The BIB have done a brave and courageous thing at last!

Three of my five phobias have been removed by the BIB so I'll feel so much safer on Walking Street tonight with these villains reduced in number.

Parthenophobia, anthophobia, and transphobia are a bugger to live with in Patts.

If I could only cure my gymnophobia and gynophobia I'd probably enjoy the place a lot more.

Your browser doesn't retain the password, so that's not how it became known to the thief.

You'd better check your computer for a keylogger or spyware.

If the password was obtained by a keylogger then you did not make your password available to the thief, and may have a valid claim of fraud against the thief.

However, you notified the bank after the fact, so that will be their defence - same as most banks rules, they are only responsible for claims after notification.

Unless of course you had a MSword file on your desktop called "my bank login and passwords.docx". In that case, you haven't got a leg to stand on with Kbank.

Expensive lesson - but a reminder to keep your laptop/smartphone login suitably password protected and if you aren't using it, make sure it's logged off. And do regular scans to check for keyloggers that might have been installed by a guest in your bedroom, or indeed installed remotely.

Also make sure Bluetooth access and sharing service is stopped - that's another way somebody can cruise around your computer while you think they're playing farcebook on their smartphone.

I've stopped trying to convert the moaners and whingers whether on TV or face to face.

If I come across somebody new who wants to bend my ear and start listing the 47,000 things they see wrong with Thailand/Thais/home/life/wife/beer/infrastructure/politics, ad infinitum, I vote with my feet and tell them I have to be somewhere else.

Unless they're buying the beer......but even then it's just too depressing for words!

The worse ones are those that forget that many of the Thai people within earshot can understand what they're saying, and don't even try and be discreet in their criticism. Often I can see that the Thais can understand what's being said, and believe me, they don't like it and will talk to each other about what the Falang is saying.

It's bad enough in a bar or restaurant - the staff have been exposed to it and are more tolerant. But to see the reactions from ordinary Thais at the golf course or somewhere like that - they are clearly unimpressed and any negative stereotypes they may have of Europeans living in Thailand are just reinforced.

The "khek ma-now club, table for one please" Brigade

Ok, here's some interesting reading. It's a US Embassy report on relationships between Thailand and Russia, including an analysis of Russian mafia growth in Thailand.

The report is 4 years old, but well worth a read. Perhaps you can find more reasons to debunk the generally held belief that the Russian mafia is in fact operating in Thailand after you've read some facts. One assumes that the US Embassy would not be telling porkies or basing their opinions on rumour and speculation.

You may come to realise that you're not thinking outside the square and associate mafia with small time crime or owning a gogo on Walking Street.

G2G involvement also breeds a base for increased corruption which will include the Russian mafia. Nor I'm sure have you considered the increasing economic toes that are developing. When two corrupt countries develop economic associations, corruption and organised crime go hand in hand.

And don't forget, the face of Russian organised crime is actually tacitly respectable - you can only put the cash in so many warehouses. Putting it in banks of even neutral countries is risky. Eventually you have to make it work for you.

Did you know that there is no Thai law restricting the importation of Thai currency into Thailand by any person?. You could bring a 40' container full of 1,000 baht notes and there is no law being broken.

And the Russian crime bosses are involved in many multi national organisations based all over the world - as are the US mafia. The new face of organised crime.

Take the time to read the report here --------> http://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/238045

I am not quite sure why you think US embassy is a reliable source, please expand why you think it is.

Also can you briefly identify who US mafia is

Your questions are a little obtuse and immature so I'll do you a favour and assume they're rhetorical.

No,it was not rhetorical questions, so please be kind enough to expand .

You consider 2 Americans running a bar to be mafia?

Before you get all excited, I speak fluent Thai and know a few very rich Russians , so I would really like to know the answers to my questions

To answer your three points above:

1. Your original questions are not germane to my post and obtuse to the extreme. I didn't say the US Embassy was a reliable source. I merely linked it as an interesting source of information. If you want a debate about the authenticity of the information contained therein, take it up with them. I did state that " One assumes that the US Embassy would not be telling porkies or basing their opinions on rumour and speculation." Use of the impersonal pronoun "One" implies that from an objective perspective, it is reasonable to assume that the US Embassy report would be largely factual. "Porkies" by the way is a euphemism for lies. Cockney English, Pork pies = lies, morphed to porkies.

2. As is your usual posting style, you ask questions that have no relevance or were not even mentioned in the post you quote to promote divergent debate - trolling perhaps? Nowhere did I say anything about "2 Americans running a bar to be mafia", nor did anything I say imply or could be construed as having anything even remotely to do with Americans running bars or being mafia.

I did however make a reference to somebody of unspecified nationality owning a gogo on Walking Street - but I specifically said, and I quote myself, "You may come to realise that you're not thinking outside the square and associate mafia with small time crime or owning a gogo on Walking Street." I'm sorry if your comprehension doesn't extend to this level so I will clarify it in simple English for you. In the context of making that statement I was implying that anybody who thinks that somebody who might be involved in criminal activities while also owning a gogo in Walking Street should not be considered mafia just for that fact.

3. I don't understand the relevance. How does your claim to be able to speak fluent Thai and know a few very rich Russians have any bearing on why I should answer your obtuse questions? But regardless, I've answered them.

I trust you're satisfied. I'm unsure English is your first language - one would assume not, given your argumentative, obtuse, and abrupt style of using the written word. Perhaps your lack of comprehension leads you to misunderstand issues and you just come across that way, cest la vie.

I stated my views on Russian mafia - you can choose to agree or disagree, in part or in whole, it's really up to you. But your style of debate is not constructive and as I'm sure many others will agree, just a little too argumentative and destructive to bother with. Cheerio.......

At a guess I'd say the policies will be "as good" as what you'll get at home. And most companies will be the same as the next one with minor variations just as at home. I'd say getting an English version is the same as you requesting a Thai version at home - no chance.

I've had 2 claims on my truck insurance, both had no problems. Just clarify the key points verbally - how much am I insured for, is this A Grade fully comprehensive, how much will you pay out, how do I make a claim, what is the excess, who can drive etc.

Try calling their BKK call centre for better English answers.

I have met both Russian & Hungarian "Mafia" in Pattaya, in the Thai sense of the word which is both organised and structured. In fact the Hungarian paid for a very nice meal that night.

Vodka by the truckload included I hope!

the "i'm 83, have sex twice daily, don't need any Tadalafil or Sildenafil" brigade.

The 'I wanna be like him when I grow up" brigade.

Reading some of the posts here is beyond ridiculous.

So many experts on Russian Mafia

So many know exactly how Russian Mafia operates, i wonder if all the experts learned it from the movies

I have said it before and will say it again

Russian Mafia does not exist in Thailand, and the little wanna be's are not mafia.

Russian Mafia is not interested in making $1 here and there, Thailand does not have the market for them to make money

Russian Girls are not in demand, and even the ones who do get customers the income is tiny compared to what they make in other countries.

There is no market for drugs as that is already controlled by the locals.

There are Russians who have come here and opened up businesses, only they opening businesses serving Russians, while too many others are opening bars.

Russian Mafia DOES NOT launder money in Thailand, because if the experts had any idea, it is every very hard to take money out of Russia,

Real Estate market is not exactly the safest investment here, it does not make money

Pattaya Officials are correct there is not Russian Mafia, just Russian businesses

Ok, here's some interesting reading. It's a US Embassy report on relationships between Thailand and Russia, including an analysis of Russian mafia growth in Thailand.

The report is 4 years old, but well worth a read. Perhaps you can find more reasons to debunk the generally held belief that the Russian mafia is in fact operating in Thailand after you've read some facts. One assumes that the US Embassy would not be telling porkies or basing their opinions on rumour and speculation.

You may come to realise that you're not thinking outside the square and associate mafia with small time crime or owning a gogo on Walking Street.

G2G involvement also breeds a base for increased corruption which will include the Russian mafia. Nor I'm sure have you considered the increasing economic toes that are developing. When two corrupt countries develop economic associations, corruption and organised crime go hand in hand.

And don't forget, the face of Russian organised crime is actually tacitly respectable - you can only put the cash in so many warehouses. Putting it in banks of even neutral countries is risky. Eventually you have to make it work for you.

Did you know that there is no Thai law restricting the importation of Thai currency into Thailand by any person?. You could bring a 40' container full of 1,000 baht notes and there is no law being broken.

And the Russian crime bosses are involved in many multi national organisations based all over the world - as are the US mafia. The new face of organised crime.

Take the time to read the report here --------> http://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/238045

I am not quite sure why you think US embassy is a reliable source, please expand why you think it is.

Also can you briefly identify who US mafia is

Your questions are a little obtuse and immature so I'll do you a favour and assume they're rhetorical.

I don't know the specific bike, but have lowered bikes before. Depends why you want to lower it - handling or comfort.

Lowering by 2-4 cm will not alter the handling too much but will generally make a bike turn in quicker at speed. You can lower the front by say 2-4cm and no need to lower the rear. but you won't get the lower seat height you want.

Lowering as much as 10cm is actually quite a bit. You can drop the triple tree down and have the forks come through, provided there's no obstruction. If the suspension is a single you can fit "dogbones" to reduce the height. If it's double rear swingarm mounted, you can buy smaller units.

But...10cm is a lot and if you achieve it all through suspension and tyre height you'll find the bike very different to handle. Try a combination of 2-4cm on the suspension, and taking some foam off the seat, plus lower profile tyres and/or smaller rims.

Did you know that there is no Thai law restricting the importation of Thai currency into Thailand by any person?. You could bring a 40' container full of 1,000 baht notes and there is no law being broken.

This is irrelevant, because it's certainly illegal to take Baht notes out of Thailand in any quantity, and they are only printed in Thailand. So how would they get anywhere else to be able to be shipped back?

They don't want to ship it back and I wasn't really suggesting they bring it in in a 40 foot container.

Do some research on organised crime and how the money is made and the logic behind how it's invested.

A legitimate business in any country is happy to make 10-20% profit on their turnover and may have millions invested getting a return of 10% of capital. Organised crime has a lot less overhead and make much more profit on a lot less invested. Money laundering is initially more about losing money, not making money.

eg. Talking USD to make it easy. Organised crime in Russia earns 8 million "profit" from sales/activities of 10 million (after paying wages, and other overheads such as bullets etc ). A legitimate company would only dream of this margin.

Organised crime then send the 8 million to Thailand - maybe they have to buy baht and maybe they have to transfer through multiple hands with each party taking a slice to semi legitimise the funds. The funds arrive in Thailand and maybe it's only 6 million by then after paying commissions and bribes. Then they wash it through some legitimate companies, set up new companies, buy existing companies, buy condos, build condos, set up companies in partnership with Thais, set up small medium businesses, or fund others to do the same, buy shares on the SET through nominees.....whatever. The money is generally untraceable and is relatively clean.

And the Thai government don't care a diddly squat anyway. The DSI couldn't find their own arse without a flashlight and a set of instructions.

Some of the investments won't make financial sense, some will be risky, some will make money, some will be used to fund on the ground operations.....doesn't really matter. The 8 million original "profit" became 6 million, and may become 3 million or 20 million in one or 5 years.

They didn't really "pay" for the money originally, it was obtained through criminal activities. Yes they had expenses, but hey, they're criminals. If they could earn the same profits legitimately, they probably would. But they can't.

So now they have a base which grows, and feeds on itself as a money haven. They own a company in Thailand that reportedly lost 50 million dollars...hey, a potential tax dodge through another company owned in the Bahamas or the US. Organised crime is a business - they can fund illegal money into legal entities and make surprising profits.

Organised crime is all about ACCOUNTING and has been since the days of Al Capone.

Reading some of the posts here is beyond ridiculous.

So many experts on Russian Mafia

So many know exactly how Russian Mafia operates, i wonder if all the experts learned it from the movies

I have said it before and will say it again

Russian Mafia does not exist in Thailand, and the little wanna be's are not mafia.

Russian Mafia is not interested in making $1 here and there, Thailand does not have the market for them to make money

Russian Girls are not in demand, and even the ones who do get customers the income is tiny compared to what they make in other countries.

There is no market for drugs as that is already controlled by the locals.

There are Russians who have come here and opened up businesses, only they opening businesses serving Russians, while too many others are opening bars.

Russian Mafia DOES NOT launder money in Thailand, because if the experts had any idea, it is every very hard to take money out of Russia,

Real Estate market is not exactly the safest investment here, it does not make money

Pattaya Officials are correct there is not Russian Mafia, just Russian businesses

Ok, here's some interesting reading. It's a US Embassy report on relationships between Thailand and Russia, including an analysis of Russian mafia growth in Thailand.

The report is 4 years old, but well worth a read. Perhaps you can find more reasons to debunk the generally held belief that the Russian mafia is in fact operating in Thailand after you've read some facts. One assumes that the US Embassy would not be telling porkies or basing their opinions on rumour and speculation.

You may come to realise that you're not thinking outside the square and associate mafia with small time crime or owning a gogo on Walking Street.

G2G involvement also breeds a base for increased corruption which will include the Russian mafia. Nor I'm sure have you considered the increasing economic toes that are developing. When two corrupt countries develop economic associations, corruption and organised crime go hand in hand.

And don't forget, the face of Russian organised crime is actually tacitly respectable - you can only put the cash in so many warehouses. Putting it in banks of even neutral countries is risky. Eventually you have to make it work for you.

Did you know that there is no Thai law restricting the importation of Thai currency into Thailand by any person?. You could bring a 40' container full of 1,000 baht notes and there is no law being broken.

And the Russian crime bosses are involved in many multi national organisations based all over the world - as are the US mafia. The new face of organised crime.

Take the time to read the report here --------> http://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/238045

Russian organised crime is undoubtedly active in Thailand. Mainly as a money laundering haven. But once you have a base for money laundering, you need a resident population to look after your interests, and a resident population to consume products and services that are funded by laundered money.

It's a classic merry-go-round. Now we are seeing more and more regular Russian tourists and families. Also seeing more and more petty crime committed by Russians. The petty criminals are not mafia - the mafia are really the big boys with the big dollars. As they gain a foothold you'll see more and more involvement in general petty crime and organised rackets.

I've said it before in other threads - Thailand will regret allowing the mafia to grow in strength. Right now the Russians are paying off the BIB. Before too much longer the BIB will be operating only with the approval of the Russian Mafia. The BIB will be allowed to pick up their street corner bribes, but the big stuff will be controlled more and more by the Russians. They will also begin influencing politics and political corruption in time.

The BIB, and the Thai mafia are kindergarten level in terms of bloodthirstiness compared to the Russians. The Russian mafia have no style, no class, and take no prisoners.

Seems odd - a checkup should include checking the filter. I think the Toyota staff had a crack at you, did you have or have you had any conflict in the past with them?

If you look at the air filter hosing configuration, you'll note that it's virtually impossible for a rat to get there by itself.

A better trick is to tie-wire a fish on top of the the muffler.

I'm assuming the facts are as reported.

I'm not usually an advocate of the hang 'em high brigade - but I'm totally intolerant of this sort of inhuman behaviour so I'm volunteering to buy the rope for these four pieces of human dog excrement.

The mother in my view is twice as guilty as the men. It's travesties like this where biblical "stoning" would be just deserts.

It seems that most if not all government officials and politicians are completely unaware of the laws of supply and demand.

Subsidies that create artificial pricing have very long term effects, even more so when the subsidy involves a major export crop and there are eager competitors that can quickly fill any supply gap at a cheaper cost to the purchaser.

Thailand has made a rod for its back that may take a decade to recover from. Rice production stability/pricing cannot even begin to recover until/unless the subsidy is stopped.

The irony is that due to world oversupply and a total domestic cockup in the scheme and its administration, it may well come to the stage where the government (or the opposition) decide to pay farmers a subsidy/incentive NOT to grow rice.

The best way to increase export prices is create a supply shortage.

It seems that most if not all government officials and politicians are completely unaware of the laws of supply and demand.

Subsidies that create artificial pricing have very long term effects, even more so when the subsidy involves a major export crop and there are eager competitors that can quickly fill any supply gap at a cheaper cost to the purchaser.

Thailand has made a rod for its back that may take a decade to recover from. Rice production stability/pricing cannot even begin to recover until/unless the subsidy is stopped.

The irony is that due to world oversupply and a total domestic cockup in the scheme and its administration, it may well come to the stage where the government (or the opposition) decide to pay farmers a subsidy/incentive NOT to grow rice.

The best way to increase export prices is create a supply shortage.

Caught this one last week, scared the shit out of me

Has facial similarities to my ex wife back home.

The " am not a redneck, ya F***ing filthy <insert multiple derogatory words for any race, religion or sexual preference> lover" Brigade

The "culturally sensitive about their culture, culturally insensitive about other cultures, and don't get the irony" Brigade

A lot of acreage to get road rash if they tip over. There'd be nowhere left to get skin for a skin graft.

The IQ of about 6, not only chose to sell drugs in a country with extremely severe penalties but the icing on the cake is to sell them to a random stranger who calls your phone number.

Love the pun.